Wheeling...tell me everything BAD! please :) (Charleston, West Liberty: sales, real estate, renting)

[Bobilee]

West Virginians have voted in former KKK leader Robert Byrd for 50 years. He has stolen billions in tax dollars for West Virginia...

and I hope he steals more billions for West Virginia before he goes. The US Government should pay for what Lincoln and Congress did to the people of western Virginia.

[appalachiangirl]

Well, what about David Duke? He was in the Klan a lot more recently than Byrd?(1990's). And I do think Byrd has done some good things for WV,although the state does have a way to go. Raising teaching salaries may be a start (I believe this was mentioned before) to bring more teachers in and improve the schools.

[SweetRose99]

I agree with Nick538 for the most part. WV ...esp Wheeling area has problems with economy. Stay away if you are looking for the nice beautiful peaceful little town. I wouldn't say it is nice looking at all... most buildings are broken down and streets are dirty and not repaired regularly. The county also just sold all of their snow equipment which has become a problem because it snows and then the roads are not taken care of. One of my main problems is the pollution from many plants in the area... be prepared. Jobs are basically non existent unless u work in retail or fast food. My mom had to drive a couple hours to washington PA everyday for years just for a job. Also you might want to consider the weather... it used to be quite nice... but I think for the last several years it snows or is really cold in the winter(10-30 degrees) then goes right to really hot (80-100) but it feels warmer because of humidity is high. There isn't much of a spring (it rains the entire time) or Fall which is more a summer directly to freezing winter. Other than that, it is relatively safe... other than Wheeling Island which you want to stay out of a night. People are generally more rude and unhappy hear I think due to the poor economy. Overall I say this is a bad area to move ... the younger generation is all moving out because of the non existent opportunities.

[sma]

Originally Posted by goldpolkadots

How's the pollution?

I don't know about the pollution specifically, but there are many power plants and other industrial plants nearby along the river.

[Djames9]

i went to wheeling, wv once...at night....at it looked amazing...but im from california......and where im from....crime and gangs are everywhere....im wondering...if moving to this area of the U.S is going to help me because im convinced it is....is it such a good idea?

[zheni]

Despite the low prices, you may not want to live on Wheeling Island. It gets SERIOUSLY flooded every few years, and in many places houses are dilapidated and empty. There is a large casino complex on the island. Families who do like living on "the island" are often those who have lived there for years (decades?) and all know each other well. It has nice parts, some neat old Victorian houses, but also very run down parts, and might be difficult to sell if you change your mind.

There are probably pretty good teaching opportunities here. My kids went to the private schools, which pay less but also have better students, with fewer social problems at school and home, and smaller classes. The WV education bureaucracy is pretty daunting, but salaries are pretty good from what I understand. You may need to get recertified to teach here.

It is nice to have the colleges nearby, and one of the best things is Oglebay Park. Oh, yeah, BAD things...

Not many good ethnic restaurants. No Thai, Indian, Sushi - but you can go up to Pittsburgh for whatever you want, about an hour (easy) drive.

Don't know where you are coming from, but the winter can get long and gray...but it's gorgeous from April to Thanksgiving. Hope this helps!

[zheni]

The coolest thing to do is buy an old Victorian in downtown (not on the Island), since more and more young people and college kids are down there, and older folks, too. A good mix. This supports coffee shops and I dream of it one day becoming a place with lively music again and an arty scene some day. The old town houses would be such charming shops and restaurants and clubs...

But for pets, you'll probably want to get some yard space. You don't have to go far out to find land here. Past Oglebay Park is a nice area to live, on the edge of the country.

[At-Chilles]

Originally Posted by zheni

The coolest thing to do is buy an old Victorian in downtown (not on the Island), since more and more young people and college kids are down there, and older folks, too. A good mix. This supports coffee shops and I dream of it one day becoming a place with lively music again and an arty scene some day. The old town houses would be such charming shops and restaurants and clubs...

But for pets, you'll probably want to get some yard space. You don't have to go far out to find land here. Past Oglebay Park is a nice area to live, on the edge of the country.

Hello - Thanks for the good post. I'm very curious....what would a Victorian like the one you are talking about cost in wheeling? And I'm not talking about 3500 sqft one with a turret, ect. I'm talking about the smaller ones that they often refer to as your 3 bedroom 1600-1800 sqft ''Folk Victorians''?

Oh....and are the prices in decline {like just about every place else in the country} or flat, or on the upswing?



Thanks in advance....

[mattbward]

This is for Nick,

What exactly is it that the State of WV does to small businesses that is so hostile? Is there some type of crazy tax or something specific you can site to back up what you are saying? I have heard about a lot of rent breaks and tax credits for businesses moving INTO WV.

Thanks!

[scorpy01]

Hostile to business in Wheeling would be the regressive B&O tax. Business is taxed on their gross income rather than net income. That's a primary reason why so many businesses have moved out of Wheeling and up to the Highlands. I'm old enough to remember when downtown Wheeling was a fun place to shop. Now it's just empty store fronts, empty offices and bars.